


It's the thought that counts

by ThatsCrazyRandom



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: (But those 3 are only in it briefly), Attempt at Humor, Birthday Party, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Surprise Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:22:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24422719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatsCrazyRandom/pseuds/ThatsCrazyRandom
Summary: It started with a nice idea: Let's throw Lee a surprise party.It goes downhill from there.
Relationships: Lee Fletcher/Mitchell/Malcolm Pace/Connor Stoll
Comments: 8
Kudos: 16





	It's the thought that counts

**Author's Note:**

> I finally wrote something cute with these boys!  
> Totally unbeta'd. Prompt is in the end notes.  
> This was fun to write.  
> As always, this Matchollee content was inspired by @ry.dayhaven, @tealthefox.cos, @aceangelcosplay & @theturtleking72 on TIkTok because without them this ship probably wouldn't exist.

“We should do something nice for Lee’s birthday this weekend,” Mitchell said. 

He was hanging out with Malcolm and Connor since Lee had been asked to help out Will in the infirmary.

“Ooh definitely. What should we do?” Connor asked. 

“We could set up a party?” Mitchell suggested. 

“Good idea babe.” Malcolm smiled

“We can put up decorations, and we can get a cake and everything,” Connor said excitedly. 

“Yes! It’ll be fun. We can set it up in his cabin,” Mitchell said.

“One of us will need to distract him then.” 

“Well, I won’t be able to. If we want decorations, I’m the guy who’s gotta get them,” Connor said, shrugging, “And one of you should probably come with me so we can get a cake too.” 

“I can. I can use Annabeth’s laptop to order a cake online, and then pick it up when we go to get decorations.” Malcolm said. 

“I guess I can try and keep him busy on the day,” Mitchell said although he was secretly a little nervous about the job. 

“You’ll do great my dove,” Connor smiled. 

\--

All three of them were excited to surprise him. They’d gotten some of his siblings in on it, to get them access to his cabin, and all of them were going to be there for the party, along with some of his other friends, like Chris and Clarisse. 

Because they weren’t technically allowed out of camp, they could only make one trip, and it had to be the same day as the party because they’d be picking up the cake. 

Malcolm had ordered a fairly simple, but still nice cake with ‘Happy birthday Lee’ written on top in Lee’s favourite colour. Connor had some ideas of what decorations he needed to buy. Mitchell was relieved when he found out that Lee was supposed to spend most of the day in the infirmary, so he wouldn’t have to try and lie to him too much. 

Everything was going to plan.

Of course, nothing can be that simple. 

Connor knew there was a party shop close to where the bakery was and had planned on going there to get the decorations. 

Turns out, the store was closed down. So Connor had to go to the dollar store, which wouldn’t have been too bad… 

Except they only had Halloween streamers. Black, orange and purple. 

Not exactly the bright, happy birthday party vibes they wanted. 

He checked flags next, but they only had more Halloween stuff, more orange and a brighter purple this time, but with scary faces on each one. 

Maybe he could just use the bright colours…

Connor sighed as he grabbed both items, the flags and streamers. 

He could save this. He just needed a birthday banner. 

Which they had none. 

“Are you kidding me?” He groaned. 

It was sparkly at least. Maybe Malcolm had some ideas on how to salvage it. 

\--

Malcolm wasn’t having the best luck either. 

Everything had been going so well. 

He picked up the cake, and it looked great. 

He knew Lee was going to love it. 

He left the store to wait by the van for Connor and promptly tripped off the step. 

He watched in what felt like slow motion as the beautiful birthday cake went flying out of his hands and onto the sidewalk. 

Malcolm followed. 

“Ow,” He groaned, getting back to his feet. 

He had cake on hands and some of his shirt, but he didn’t care about that. 

He cared about the fact that Lee’s birthday cake was now facedown on the sidewalk.

He stared at it as if he could make it return to an edible, right-way-up cake if he just looked at it hard enough. 

“What am I going to do?” he sighed and went back into the bakery. 

“I’m sorry deary, but we don’t have any more birthday cake’s available today,” The nice lady at the counter told him when he explained. 

“A plain cake then? Chocolate?” He asked, running a hand through his hair. 

“This is all we have, I’m sorry. We’re closing soon,” She pointed out the cake on display, “I might be able to scrape the writing off, but it could ruin the icing.” 

He sighed. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll take it. My boyfriend might know what we can do.” 

\--

Malcolm and Connor met back up at the van. 

“How did you go?” Malcolm asked as Connor came into view. 

“Not great.” 

He held up the Halloween decorations.

“Oh no,” Malcolm frowned. 

“That’s not the worst part.”

Connor handed him the banner. 

Malcolm snorted softly as he read it. 

“Oh gods, we’re so bad at this,” He laughed, gesturing for Connor to read the cake. 

“No!” Connor gasped, but he couldn’t help laughing as well. 

Hopefully, Lee would see the funny side of it all too. 

“Yes! I dropped the freaking cake all over the sidewalk. This is all they had left.” 

“Let’s just hope Mitchell is doing a better job than us.” 

\--

Mitchell was not. 

He thought it would easy. 

Lee was supposed to be in the infirmary and doing training most of the day, which would have kept him sufficiently distracted until Connor and Malcolm got back. 

What actually happened was:

“Hey love,” Lee greeted, sitting down beside Mitchell where he was watching the Hermes cabin train. 

“Lee! Hi, what are you doing here?” Mitchell asked, a little panicked, but trying to hide it. 

Lee laughed, “I got let out. Will said I shouldn’t have to do infirmary stuff on my birthday. Where are the others?” 

“Oh uh. Malcolm went with Connor to the city.” 

“Really? I thought he hated doing that.” 

“Not any more I guess,” Mitchell said, laughing nervously, “Do you have training?” 

“Nope,” Lee grinned, “Clarisse said the same thing as Will. I thought I could spend the day with you, Malcolm and Connor. I have those glasses Connor stole from the dining room. I was thinking we could go on a picnic?” 

“Oh um.. I’d love to, but Malcolm and Connor are..” 

“Just us then. They can come find us when they get back. Please love? I really wanna spend my birthday with you.” 

“Okay. We can have a picnic.” Mitchell said — because he couldn’t refuse Lee on his birthday — but inside he was freaking out. There was no way he was going to be able to keep the party a secret all day. 

\--

“Hey, Mitchell.” 

“Yeah?” Mitchell replied, a little distracted. 

“Have you been covered in bees recently? Because you look sweeter than honey,” Lee said, laughing a little. 

Mitchell laughed as while, but it must’ve been a little delayed because Lee’s face softened. 

“What’s wrong love? You’ve been quiet all afternoon.” 

“Uh. Nothing. Nothing’s wrong. I guess I’m just tired,” Mitchell said, trying to deflect, “You know, Number 4 came back really late last night so..”

“Mhm, I don’t buy it. What’s wrong honey?” Lee pressed gently, taking his hand. 

“Really, it’s nothing.”

Lee looked at him in the eye, silently asking him to be honest with him. 

It was a little weird using the tactic on his boyfriend, since he had often used it on Michael and Will, but if it got Mitchell to tell him what was up…

“Fine,” Mitchell sighed, “I’m just nervous about having to lie to you.” He admitted.

“Lie to me?” Lee asked, worried. 

Mitchell looked down, “Malcolm and Connor are gone because they’re getting supplies for your surprise party.” 

Lee felt his face heat up. 

“Aww love.”

He hugged Mitchell. 

“You guys didn’t need to do anything special. You definitely didn’t need to work yourself up over it.” 

“I know, but we wanted to do something nice,” Mitchell said, hugging him back, “Now I’ve ruined the surprise.” 

“I promise I’ll act surprised.” 

\--

When Connor and Malcolm got back, Kayla let them into Cabin 7, telling them that Mitchell and Lee had gone on a picnic a couple of hours ago. 

As they started setting up, Kayla looked at the cake and decorations and snorted. 

“Seriously? Halloween?” 

“It was all they had!” Connor protested. 

“This is just sad. But I guess it’s the thought that counts,” She said, covering her laughter, “I’ll leave you to it.” 

\--

Once they were done, Connor rounded up everyone who was invited, while Malcolm went to find Lee and Mitchell.

“Wow Stoll, you’ve out-dumbed yourself,” Clarrise commented as they all filed into Cabin 7. 

“Hey check the cake!” Austin laughed, a few more of Lee’s siblings joining in as they saw it.

“Guys shhh. I know it’s bad okay. It’ll be fine.”

“They’re coming,” Kayla called, after a few minutes of people just standing around waiting and laughing at the decorations and cake. 

“Okay, okay. Shhhh,” Connor said. 

He heard his three boyfriends approaching, and Malcolm’s voice. 

The door opened and everyone chorused “SURPRISE!” 

“Oh wow! Oh my gosh, thank you guys so- does that say Happy Retirement?” Lee said, first acting surprised, but then genuinely surprised by the massive colourful banner reading “HAPPY RETIREMENT!” in bubble letters. 

“He totally already knew,” Clarisse said, rolling her eyes. 

“Mitchell!” Connor whined from the crowd. 

“Hey, it’s not like you did any better! He’s not retiring!” Mitchell protested. 

Lee covered his mouth, laughing. 

“Oh, babe… Are these Halloween streamers?” 

Connor sighed as he came over to the rest of his boyfriends. 

“Yeah. This was all they had.” 

Clarisse came over and handed Lee a present.

“This is for you. I didn’t know about this until it was too late, so I accept none of the blame for this disaster.” 

“No, I think it’s sweet. It’s the thought that counts,” Lee said, smiling at his boyfriends. 

“You haven’t seen the cake yet,” She said, before wandering off. 

“What is the cake?” Lee asked, a little nervous. 

“Okay, so I totally had a great cake ordered… But I dropped it.” Malcolm admitted as the four of them steered him over the table with the cake. 

“Oh, honey…” Lee laughed. 

On the table, surrounded by bright purple and orange flags, sat a pastel pink sheet cake. With the words “It’s a girl” written on it. 

“I’m sorry!” Malcolm whined as Mitchell and Lee both began laughing. 

“No, I love it. Thank you guys for planning all this,” Lee said, bringing them all in for a group hug. 

So maybe the decorations were a little off, and the cake looked a little strange for a teen boy’s birthday party, and the surprise was ruined a little early. 

It didn’t matter to Lee. 

What did matter was his boyfriends planning a great birthday party for him, all his friends being there to celebrate with him, and the cake tasting pretty great anyway.

**Author's Note:**

>  **Prompt:** Person A, B & C want to throw a surprise party for D. A was in charge of getting decorations, B was in charge of buying food and C was in charge of distracting D. Except A was only able to get Halloween streamers and a banner that reads _Happy Retirement_ , B trips and the cake they picked up lands on the sidewalk and the only replacement they can get in is a sheet cake that says _Sorry for your Loss_ , and C is the worst liar in the world.


End file.
